Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Saturday celebrated his 91st birthday with a lavish million-dollar bash that was slammed by the opposition as "obscene" in a country wracked by poverty.
Thousands of supporters of the ruling ZANU-PF, many wearing party regalia emblazoned with the president's image, sang and danced as he arrived for the jamboree at a luxury hotel in the famed Victoria Falls resort.
Assisted by his wife Grace, the elderly liberation leader, who wore a black suit, white shirt and red tie, threw 91 balloons into the air.
The party, which comes a week after Mugabe's birthday, was held on the hotel golf course, with white marquees housing the guests.
Elephants were slaughtered for the feast and seven huge cakes were on display in one of the tents.
One giant 91-kilo creation depicted the spectacular Victoria Falls, which empty into the Zambezi river that forms the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
The extravagance of Mugabe's birthday parties are a subject of annual controversy in Zimbabwe.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change called Saturday's festivities "obscene".
"All the money that has been collected to bankroll this obscene jamboree should be immediately channelled towards rehabilitating the collapsed public hospitals, clinics and rural schools in Matebeleland North province," MDC spokesman Obert Gutu said last week, referring to the province where Victoria Falls is located.
Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980, is the world's oldest leader.
One of the banners welcoming him to the party praised him as "the icon of Zimbabwe's revolution."
"Forward with President Mugabe," supporters chanted.
Several speakers wished him good health, with one youth leader urging the authorities to declare February 21 – his birthday – a national holiday.
While hailed by many African peers as a liberation hero, critics accuse the Zimbabwean strongman of turning southern Africa's former bread basket into a basket case by trampling human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Mugabe's violent seizure of white-owned farms triggered food shortages and hyper-inflation, while Europe and the United States imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe over elections seen as rigged.
In an interview marking his birthday, Mugabe admitted he blundered by giving ill-equipped black farmers vast tracts of farmland under his controversial land reforms.
"I think the farms we gave to people are too large. They can't manage them," Mugabe said.
He also shrugged off questions over an incident earlier this month in which he missed a step and stumbled from a podium.
"I have yet to come across to a person who has not fallen. It was a slight fall, missing a step," Mugabe told state-controlled television.
AFP
Sat Feb 28 2015
A 2013 file photo of Mugabe. The Zimbabwean president has been strongly criticised for trampling human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Kontroversi UM: Sarjana ‘berkualiti rendah’ tak patut dijemput - PM Anwar
Anwar menyindir ahli akademik AS yang terbabit dalam kontroversi pro-Israel sebagai sarjana berkualiti rendah dan tidak mempunyai pencapaian luar biasa atau istimewa.
Agong, Raja Permaisuri zahir ucapan Ulang Tahun Keputeraan kepada Sultan Terengganu
Ucapan itu dizahirkan Seri Paduka Baginda berdua menerusi poster yang dimuat naik di Facebook Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar hari ini.
Ada wajah kita tak mahu berpisah, tapi terpaksa melepaskannya - Datuk Red
Menerusi perkongsian itu, Adnan mengatakan ada perkara yang dia terpaksa reda dan menerima takdir yang sudah tertulis untuknya.
Komen jelik nahas helikopter Lumut, peniaga didenda RM23,000
Seorang peniaga dalam talian didenda RM23,000 di Mahkamah Sesyen di sini, selepas mengaku bersalah atas tuduhan memuat naik komen jelik berhubung nahas helikopter TLDM.
Bursa Malaysia dibuka rendah, jejaki prestasi Wall Street
Pada 9.10 pagi, FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) susut 2.29 mata kepada 1,566.96 daripada 1,569.25 ketika ditutup pada Khamis.
AWANI Ringkas: Pesawat ringan mendarat cemas di Subang
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Cambodia Airways mulakan penerbangan terus Phnom Penh-Kuala Lumpur
Syarikat penerbangan Kemboja, Cambodia Airways, secara rasmi memulakan penerbangan terus dari ibu negaranya, Phnom Penh ke KLIA pada Khamis.
Semangat baharu bina ekosistem inovasi lebih dinamik
Perbadanan Pembangunan Teknologi Malaysia, MTDC meneruskan kesinambungan dalam memacu pembangunan teknologi negara, dengan melancarkan Citra MTDC, untuk mewujudkan ekosistem inovasi yang lebih dinamik.
Polis tahan guru disyaki liwat tiga pelajar
Tiga pelajar tahfiz dipercayai menjadi mangsa seks luar tabii apabila didakwa diliwat seorang guru agama dari pusat tahfiz berkenaan sejak dua tahun lalu.
Rumah Terbuka Aidilfitri Selangor di KKB langgar Akta - Bersih
Penganjuran Rumah Terbuka Aidilfitri Peringkat Negeri Selangor yang akan dianjurkan di Pekan Kuala Kubu Bharu Sabtu ini, boleh bercanggah dengan banyak peruntukan dalam Akta Kesalahan Pilihan Raya 1954 (AKPR).
Ka Siong ucap 'Selamat Hari Lahir ke-70' kepada Najib
Presiden MCA, Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong hari ini mengambil peluang mengucapkan selamat hari jadi kepada bekas Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak menerusi lama Facebook miliknya.
Tun M sambut ulang tahun ke-98
Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad pada Isnin menyambut ulang tahun kelahirannya yang ke-98.
Sambut hari lahir ketika 'total lockdown', 5 lelaki dikompaun RM20,000
Polis turut menahan empat wanita warga asing kerana gagal menunjukkan dokumen pengenalan diri dalam serbuan itu.
"Tima banyak tolong family, sebab tu ..." - Mawar Rashid dedah sikap Emma Maembong
Selamat hari lahir ..
Bakal sambut ulang tahun kelahiran ke-30, ini yang dilakukan Neelofa...
Menurut Neelofa, majlis keagamaan ini berkonsepkan perkongsian ilmu yang memberi fokus terhadap cara untuk mengerjakan solat dengan lebih sempurna.
"Mak pergi selepas tiga hari Ani sambut hari lahir sendirian" - Noraniza Idris
Penyanyi Noraniza Idris berkongsi ucapan ulang tahun kelahiran arwah emaknya, Allahyarhamah Hajah Azizah.
Boleh tak Tun Siti cium Tun Mahathir?
Biar pun kelihatan tersipu-sipu, Tun Dr Mahathir menerima cabaran untuk dicium oleh isteri tersayang, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah.
#TunM93: Raikan ulang tahun kelahiran Tun Mahathir di Astro AWANI
Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad akan menyambut hari kelahiran ke-93 pada Julai 10 ini, dan rakyat Malaysia boleh meraikan dengan menghantar mesej ulang tahun kepadanya.
"Ini bukan tempat kita Papa" - Nota Iqram sempena hari jadi arwah bapa menyentuh hati
Pelakon Iqram Dinzly menyentuh hati netizen menerusi ucapan hari jadi arwah bapanya, Muhammad Saipuddin Ahmad Said.
Twitter sambut ulang tahun ke-8, apa tuit pertama anda?
Twitter menyambut ulang tahun ke-8 dengan membenarkan orang ramai untuk semak tuit pertama mereka.